Bottle-capping machine



G. E. WHITNEY. BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6, I921.

Patented May 30, 1922.

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INVENTOR GE BREE E. WHITNEY ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BOTTLE-CAPPING MACHINE.

Application filed September 6, 1921.

a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county ofF airfield and State of Connecticut, has invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Bottle- Capping Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to machines for capping bottles beingparticularly designed for capping bottles of varying sizes by manualoperation.

For this purpose the bottle to be capped is placed on a support, a capplaced thereon, and a crimping die is pressed against the cap to crimpit over the top of the bottle. In order to apply sufficient pressure tothe die without undue exertion on the part of the operator, a levermechanism may be employed, one construction of which comprises avertical rack bar adjacent which the bottle is supported, a yoke framecarrying the crimping die slidably mounted thereon, and a hand leverpivoted to the yoke and carrying a gear segment meshing with the teethof the rack bar. lVith this construction the die moves in a verticalpath of definite amplitude for the range of movement of the lever. Inorder, however, to provide for capping bottles of varying heights it isoften necessary to change the position of the stroke of the dielengthwise of the rack.

This invention provides a construction by which this adjustment may bereadily effected when desired, and which once effected will remain inthe same condition until a differentadjustment is desired, so that oncehaving been adjusted for a particular size of bottles it will continueto be in correct position for the same sized bottles without furtherattention from the operator and without danger of becoming out ofadjustment during operation of the machine.

For a more complete understanding of this invention. together withfurther objects and advantageous details of construction and combinationof parts reference may be had to the accompanying drawings illustratingan embodiment thereof in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of themachine showing the die at the lower limit of its stroke in one positionof adjustment,

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the die at its upper limit of motion,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1922.

Serial No. 498,710.

Fig. 3 is rear elevation of the machine, and

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the parts in positionwhere the stroke may be adjusted.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a base board on which the bottleis placed. A rack bar 2 having rack teeth 3 formed on its forward facehas a depending stirrup shaped foot 1 between the sides of which theboard 1 passes, a cross bar of the portion 4 shown in dotted lines at 5in Fig. 1 extending through a lateral slot in base 1, one or more screwsas 6 serving to fasten these parts rigidly with the rack bar 2 8Xtending vertically. At 7 is shown a yoke frame having spacedsleeveportions 8 and 9 slidably engaging the rack bar 2, this yoke framecarrying fixed to or integral therewith the crimping die 10. Pivoted atthe point 11 between the sides of the member 7 is a hand lever 12 havinga segmental gear portion 13 arranged to mesh with the rack teeth 3.Lever 12 is preferably formed with one or both side faces channeled asshown at 14, and made fast at 15 within the channel on one face is oneend of a leaf spring 16 the free end of this spring normally extendingoutwardly beyond the side walls of the channel 14: and terminating in anabutment 17 When lever 12 is raised the portion 17 normally abutsagainst a portion 18 of the yoke frame '7 and limits the extent ofupward movement of the lever, a lug or pinl9 fixed to or integral withthe lever 12 engaging the opposite side edge of spring 16 and receivingthe side thrust imparted by pressure from the abutment 18. This positionof the parts is shown in Fig. 2. The lower limit of motion of the lever12, as shown in Fig. 1 is determined by the engagement of the leveragainst the top forward edge of the die 10. Throughout the entire rangeof this normal movement of the lever 12 segment 13 is in mesh with therack teeth 3 and consequently die 10 is given a downward and upwardmovement with the lowering and raising movement of the lever in a pathof constant amplitude and at a fixed distance from the base board 1. Ifthe stroke of the die is correctly positioned for a certain size ofbottles the machine may be used as long as desired on bottles of thissize without danger of variation of the stroke.

The bottle to be capped is placed on the board 1 and a cap placed inposition thereon beneath the die. The operator then depresses the lever12 whereupon the die is forced downwardly against the cap which itcrimps around the mouth of the bottle. On raising the lever, the die israised thus freeing the capped bottle for removal from the machine whichis now ready for a subsequent operation on an uncapped bottle. When itis desired'to change the position of the stroke of the die relative tothe base board as when bottles of a, different size than that for whichthe machine is set are to be capped, this may be readily effected bydepressingthe free end of the spring 16 within the channel 14 so thatthe abutment 17 is out of the plane of the abutment 18 and raising thelever .12 into the position shown in Fig. 4 with the free end or spring16 between the sides of the yoke member 7. In this position of the partsthe segment 7 has been turned till it is out of mesh with the rack teeth3 though remaining in the same plane therewith, whereupon member 7 withthe die 10 and lever 12 maybe moved freely vertically on the rack bar 2.When these parts have been moved to the position desired lever 12 isdepressed bringing segment? back into engagement with theteeth 3 in anew relation. As the lever moves downwardly the free end of spring 16movesforwardly from the member 7 and on clearing the same it springsoutwardly in position to bring abutment 17 into the plane of abutment 18thus preventing lever 12 from being raised sufliciently on a subsequentoperation to bring the segment out of mesh with the rack bar and soretaining the parts in their new position of adjustment as long as maybe desired. i

From the above description it is seen that a construction has beenprovided by which the machine may be readily adjusted for capping anysize bottle desired and will maintain this adjustment in operation aslong as may be. required.

Having thus described one embodiment of this invention itshould berecognized that many changes and modifications might be made thereinwithout departing from its spirit or scope as defined by the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a bottle support, bar positionedperpendicularly relative to said support, a die slidable on said bartoward and from said support, means actuable to move said die, and meansnormally limiting the movement of said actuatingmeans'to produce amovement of said die of definite amplitude, actuable to permit anabnormal movement thereof in which the position of said normal path ofmembers.

3. In a device of the class described, a bottle support, a bar extendingtherefrom, a die slidably supported on said bar, a lever pivoted to saiddie and normally engaging said bar, and means to normally limit themovement of said lever but'opera ble to permit movement of said leverbeyond said limit and out of engagement with said bar. 7

4. In a device of the class described, a bottle support, a rack barcarried thereby, a yoke frame slidable on said bar to and from saidsupport, a capping die carried by said yoke frame, a lever pivoted tosaid yoke frame, a gear segment carried by said lever and normallyengaging the teeth of saidrack bar, an abutment on said yoke frame, anabutment carried by said lever in cooperative relation to said yokeframe abutment to limit the swing ofsaid lever in one direction withinthe limits of engagement of said segment and rack bar, and means wherebysaid lever abutment may be moved out of cooperative relation to saidyoke frame abutment to permit further swing of said lever to bring saidsegment out of engagement with said rack bar."

5. n a device of the class described, a rack bar, a die movable on saidrack bar, a gear segment engaging said rack bar and normally controllingthe motion of said die thereon, and means for normally preventingdisengagement of said segment and bar actuable at will to permit suchdisengagement.

'6. Ina device of the class described, a bar, a die movable on said bar,a lever carried by said die and normally engaging said bar forcontrolling the motion of the die thereon, and means including a springfor normally preventing disengagement of said lever and bar but onmovement of said spring permitting such disengagement.

7. In a device of the class described, a bottle support, a rack barcarried-thereby, a yoke frame slidable on said bar toward and from saidsupport, a capping die carried by said yoke frame, alever pivoted tosaid yoke frame and having a channel therein, a gear segment carried bysaid lever and normally engaging said rack bar, an abutment on said yokeframe, and a leaf spring fixed at one end in said channel and having itsother end projecting outwardly therefrom to contact with said abutmenton swinging of said lever in one direction to limit such swing to therange of engagement of said segment and rack bar, said spring beingdepressible into said channel and out of cooperative relation to saidabutment to permit said lever to be swung sufliciently to move saidsegment out of engagement with said rack bar.

8. In a device of the class described, a rack bar, a die slidable onsaid rack bar, a gear segment carried by said die and normally meshingwith said rack bar and means normally preventing disengagement of saidsegment and rack bar and actuable to per mit said gear segment while inthe same plane with said rack bar to be moved out of mesh therewith.

9. In a device of the class described, a support for a bottle, a rackbar extending from said support, a die member slidable on said bartoward and from said support, a gear segment pivoted on said member andmeshing With said rack bar, means to turn said gear segment withinlimits of engagement with said rack bar to reciprocate said member, andmeans defining one of said limits operable to permit further turning ofsaid gear segment out of mesh with said rack bar to permit the positionof the path of motion of said member on said bar to be adjusted.

10. In a device of the class described, a rack bar, adie member slidableon said rack bar, a gear segment pivoted on said rack bar and meansnormally limiting the pivotal movement of said gear segment to maintainit in mesh with said rack bar said means including an element actuableto permit said segment to be turned out of mesh with said rack bar topermit adjustment of said die thereon.

In testimony whereof he aflixes his signature.

GEORGE E. WHITNEY.

